Coffin-lid hinge and fastener



(No Model.)

W. G. LANGENAU. GOFFIN LID HINGE AND FASTENER.

TTOIUVIEl S,

Patented July 3,1894.

" INVENTOR.

UNrrEn STATES.

' PATENT I OrrrcE.

-W'ILL'IAM C. LANGENAU, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COFFlN-LID HINGEAND FASTE NER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No; 522,218, dated July 3,1.894.

Application file'd May 8,1893. $erial No. 473.417. Nomodel.)

specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained andthe best mode ,in which I have contemplated applying that prin ciple, soas to distinguish it from other inventions.

In the annexed drawings-Figure I repre+ sents a perspective view of acasket'provided with my improved fasteners, illustrating the casket asopen; Fig. II, a transverse vertical section of, a closed casketprovided with the fasteners; Fig. III, an enlarged sectionof portions ofthe raisedlid and the side ofthe casket, illustrating. the fastener inside elevation; Fig. IV, a similar view of portions of the closed lidand the side, illustrating the fastener in side elevation; Figs..V andVI, views, respectively, of the detached fastener and slotted plate, andFig. VII, a top plan view of the fastener, illustrating .itflin posi-'with a.notch,,b, with whichit-may ride upon tion with the lid raised.- i

In fasteners for the lids of burial caskets or coflins,-the purpose forwhich my improved device is especially designed,a 'numberof featuresarerequired ordesi'red to'render such fastenerssatisfactory.- The fastenersshould be of such character thattheywill form a positive and automaticlock for the lid,

securing the latter. firmly to the casket, while, being capable of readydisengagement. The,

fasteners should be of such character that they may serve ashinges forthe lid at the same time as they serve as fasteners, so that the casketlid may be opened to either side by unlocking the fasteners at theopposite edge. This latterfeature will admit of the opening of thecasket with due attention to the direction in which the light falls,the'potions of importance in burial caskets. the fasteners Should lockand be unlocked sition of the persons for whose inspection the casket isopened, and other similar considerawith as much promptness as possible,and should be as strong as possible, with the least liability to get outof order, simplicity of construction and fewness of parts should beanimportant feature in the fastener.

Althoughthehook or latchportion of the fastener maybe the rigid part ofthe same, and the slotted plate may be the movable part of the fastener,thereverse is usually the position of the parts, and the hook or latchportion will bereferred to as the movable portion, and the-slotted plateas the rigid portionof the fastener. The rigid portion of the fastenerconsists ofa plate, A, secured to the edge of the casket, over amortiseor recess in said-edge; and said plate has preferably a flange, A,extending over the outer face of the casket side. A slot, a, is formedin the plate, at right angles to the longitudinal edges of the latterand extends into the front-flange A; being thusin the outer corner ofthe rectang'ularly bent keeperplate. A small slot, a,

is formed in the face of thekeeper plate, a

short distance from the inner end of the slot a; vThe. movable portionof the fastener has a base plate, B, secured over a transverse recessinthe lid,- and a bolt, B, projects from the faceofsaid plate. Said boltmay enter the slot of the keeperv.plate, and is formed theedge of thevertical portion of the keeper slot; with a curved inner face,o b' whichmay slide against the inner end of'said slot; with a noseportion, b atthe end of said curved face, which portion maylbear against the underside ofthe keeper plate; and with a transverse lug, b upon'said noseportion,

which lug may engage thesmall slot at in the keeperplate. The boltth'us'form s the detachable hinge portion of the fastener. An

open casing, b is formed uponthe upper side of the base -plate, and anL-shaped or-bellerank'shaped latch, b isfulcrumed in. said casing,having one arm playing inv a recess, b, in the bolt. Said arm is formedwith a hook or shoulder, U, which will engage beneath the inner end ofthekeeper slot when the bolt is inserted into the same. Theouter I oo Inall fasteners for casket lids, and with.

which I am acquainted, two separate movements have been required torelease the fasteners and open the lid, viz.-an outward or alongitudinally sliding movement to unlock the fasteners, and an upwardmovement in opening or removing the lid. This unlocking movement,ofwhatever character it may be,is done away within myimproved hinge andfastener, and the upward, lifting movement, via-the upward pull upon thetassels or upon the outer arms of the latches,will unlock the fastenersand, at the same time, open orraise the lid. The operation of myimproved fastener will thus be simpler and.

quicker than the operation of fasteners heretofore in use, an advantagewhich is very desirable in adevice more particularlydesigned for burialcaskets and coflins.

As the lid may be swung to either side, the casket may be opened to viewwith proper regard to the side from which the light falls and to theposition of the casket relative to the persons for whose inspection thecasket is opened. The casket lid will be held socurely in place upon thecasket by the fasteners, when said lid is closed, and may yet be easilyswung open or removed when required.

The construction of r the fastener is simpleand suitable for strengthcombined with ease and comparative cheapness of manufacture.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedfor the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regardsthe mechanism thus disclosed, provided-the principles of constructionset forth respectively in the following claims are employed.

I disclaim as my invention, the combination of a movable part having aprojecting hinge portion, a keeper having a slot into which said hingeportion may enter and have play, and a latch in said hinge portionengaging the keeper and locking the former and the latter.

the combination of a keeper formed with a slot having a horizontal and avertical portion and with a small slot at the inner end of thehorizontal slot portion, a straight bolt fitting and sliding in saidkeeper slot and having a nose portion formed with a lug engaging thesmall slot, and a latch in said bolt engaging under the edge of thekeeper slot, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hinge and fastener for casket lids, thecombination of a keeperbent at a right angle and formed with a slot extendinginto both of therectangular portions, a bolt fitting and having play in said slot, and alatch pivoted in said bolt to have a shoulder project from one face ofthe bolt to engage under one end of the slot in the keeper and to havean actuatingarm project opposite to said shoulder, substantially as setforth.

I 3. In a hinge and fastener for casket lids, the combination of akeeper bentat a right angle and formed with a slot extending into bothrectangular portions of said keeper, a bolt fitting and sliding in saidslot, an L- shaped latch pivoted in said bolt to have a shoulder projectfrom one arm at one face of the bolt to engage oneendof the slot, and to4. In a hinge and fastener for casket lids, the combination of a keeperformed with a keeper slot having a horizontal and a vertical portion andwith a small slot at the inner end of the horizontal portion, a platehaving a projecting bolt fitting and sliding in the keeper slot andformed with a notch in its outer side and with a curved inner side and anose portion having a lug, an L-shaped latch pivoted in the plate andbolt and having a shouldered inner arm and a projecting actuating arm,and a spring bearing against said actuating arm, substantially as setforth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to I be my invention I havehereunto set my hand this Mth'day of April, A. D. 1893.

WM. 0. LANGENAU.

Witnesses:

J. B. FAY, WM. SECHER.

have an actuating arm project in the opposite direction, and a springbearing against said arm, substantially as set forth. I I

